Two Belgian Nuclear Reactors May Be Closed Permanently: State Media

A
general view of the Tihange nuclear plant is seen in
TihangeThomson
Reuters

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Two Belgian nuclear reactors owned by
GDF-Suez unit Electrabel may remain offline until spring and may
need to be halted permanently, Belgian state broadcaster VRT
reported on Tuesday.

The Belgian nuclear regulator ordered production to be stopped at
the 1,008 megawatt Tihange 2 reactor and the 1,006 megawatt Doel
3 reactor in 2012 after finding indications of cracks in their
core tanks.

After reopening in May of 2013, the reactors were closed again in
March of this year for further tests after inspections uncovered
irregularities in the strength of the tanks.

The interim results of the tests, which are not yet completed,
show the tanks are weakened by the cracks and may need to remain
closed until spring or may even remain shut permanently, VRT
reported citing sources.

Electrabel was not immediately available for comment.

With another reactor, Doel 4, also closed because of damage to
its turbine, just over 3 GW of Belgian nuclear capacity is
offline, more than half of the total.